(…)On the mound, the Yankees will start Andy Pettitte, who clinched Game 6 of the ALCS in very similar circumstances. Last round, the Yankees were up 3-1 on the Angels, then lost a tough Game 5 at Anaheim even though they had a chance to win it in the ninth inning. They then came home with a 3-2 lead, Pettitte on the mound and took the pennant.

One difference this round is that Pettitte will be pitching on just three days’ rest. How well he handles that may well determine if there’s a game tomorrow.

The Phillies will start Pedro Martinez, who fared well in Game 2 last week despite being outpitched by A.J. Burnett in what was a must-win game for the Yankees. Martinez now takes the hill tonight in a must-win game for the Phillies.

If the Yankees clinch tonight, it’ll be their record 27th world championship, their first since 2000 when they beat the Mets in five games. That capped an absurd run of three straight championships and four in five years (1996, 1998, 1999, 2000). The Yankees then nearly won it again in 2001 but fell in Game 7 of the World Series to the Diamondbacks. And in 2003, they went to the Series again but lost in six games to the Marlins….